Dear First Methodist Faith Family,
Our Executive Team and Church Leadership are very pleased to announce our re-entry schedule! Governor Edwards has extended Phase 2 and mandatory face-mask wearing at least through mid-September. However, because of our essential services classification, we can continue to open our doors with some limitations. We have been prayerfully discerning how to move forward, while studying the guidelines provided by the state Fire Marshall’s office and the state’s Open Safely program. We have measured our classrooms and discussed options with physicians and our church staff and leaders. With that, we will have the following schedule:
Sunday, September 13, 2020 – “Soft” Opening
- The Children’s Ministry Center will open at 10:30am for nursery & pre-school children.
- Elementary Children’s Church in the Dawson Building will open for registration and drop off at 10:30am.
Billie Tate and Staci Zeagler, our Children’s Ministry Leaders, will be communicating details and “what to expect” to our parents via email and snail mail.
- Traditional Worship, 11:00am in the Sanctuary
Traditional worship will continue to air live on Sundays at 11:00am on KTBS and on our website.
- Faithlink Worship, 11:00am in the Emmett Hook Center
- Faithlink will continue to air live on Facebook.
- The 2021 Stewardship campaign will kick-off in the 11:00am services. Watch for details online, on Facebook, and in your mailbox!
Sunday, September 20, 2020 – Kick-off Sunday
- The Children’s Ministry Center will open at 9:30am for nursery & pre-school children.
- Sunday School opens!
- Adults & Youth – Meet in your classes from 9:45-10:45am.
- Children – Registration and Drop-off from 9:30-10:00am; Sunday School 10:00-10:45am
- Elementary Children’s Church in the Dawson Building will meet from 11:00am-12:10pm.
Billie Tate and Staci Zeagler, our Children’s Ministry Leaders, will be communicating details and “what to expect” to our parents via email and snail mail.
Sunday, September 27, 2020 – Celebration Sunday
- Nursery opens at 9:30am.
- Sunday School -
- Adults & Youth – Meet in your classes from 9:45-10:45am.
- Children – Registration and Drop-off from 9:30-10:00am; Sunday School 10:00-11:00am
- 9:45am, Parent Meeting, Bain Hall – All Parents of Children & Youth are invited to attend a meeting in Bain Hall to hear from Dr. Pat Day and our Children’s & Youth Pastors. We will be discussing all activities for the year.
- 11:00am – Celebration Sunday in Traditional & Faithlink Worship Services
- Children’s Church will meet from 11:00am-12:10pm.
- 12:00pm – Acolyte Training (3rd Grade and up)
OTHER NOTES:
- Please self-screen before coming to the Church campus. If you are running a fever, have any flu-like symptoms, or are feeling poorly, please stay home.
- Masks will be required for 3rd grade students and up, youth, and adults.
- Our guidance for classroom occupancy is based on the 50% rule. In order to achieve maximum footage in each space, tables and other items may have been removed from the room.
- Sunday school class attenders will be receiving further instructions from their teachers on specific guidelines for their classes.
- Coffee & water will not be available in the classrooms until further notice. Please feel free to bring your own drinks from home with a lid!
- We kindly ask classes not to bring donuts, scrumptious casseroles, or other snacks for your meetings.
- We will continue to place bulletins at pews in the Sanctuary. Digital bulletins may be viewed or printed at our website.
- Coffee Corner will not be available until further notice.
- As you can imagine, COVID-19 has had an effect on our giving. We value and appreciate the generosity of our members. If your financial situation allows, we ask that you take a few minutes to give to the church or catch up on your pledge. You can do so online, by depositing in a basket in the church foyer, or mailing your check.
- Until further notice, on Sundays, we will only offer the 11:00am Traditional service in the Sanctuary and the 11:00am FaithLink service in Emmett Hook Center.
While this is a time of
great stress and change, we know we can rely on God’s goodness to see us
through. We will continue to meet as a leadership team to evaluate and discuss
changes. If you have questions about this new, temporary schedule, or any of
the procedures we are following, please give us a call or email the appropriate
staff member.
Thank you for being such a faithful witness to
the love and hope of Christ.
In His Service,
Dr. Pat Day
